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(John 11:1-8) Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) [John 12:3]. Therefore his sisters sent [a friend or servant] unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he [Jesus] had heard therefore that he [Lazarus] was sick, he [Jesus] abode two days still in the same place where he was [Jesus was then one day or about 20-30 walking miles from Bethany]. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

(John 11:9,10) Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day [i.e., adequate time given to all to do the right (righteous) thing]? If any man walk [takes action] in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth [Gk: beholds, perceives, regards, takes heed to] the light [Gk: fire] ["consuming fire"] of this world [kosmos; "cosmos"] [i.e., universe]. But if a man walk [takes action] in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light [Gk: fire] ["consuming fire"] in him.

(Heb 12:29) For our God is a consuming fire. [Deut 4:24; 9:3]

night = Heb: a twist (away of the light). [a perversion, false doctrine: symbolized by Sodom (death)]

(Jer 23:29a) Is not my word like as a fire?

(John 1:14) And the Word [of God, the Bible: "a consuming fire"] was made flesh [in Jesus Christ, the seed of God and hence Himself "a consuming fire"], and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

a. glory = Gk: glory (as very apparent) [like a fire], in a wide application (lit. or fig., obj. or subj.):--dignity, glory (-ious), honour, praise, worship.

b. (Psa 119:105) NUN. Thy word [Jesus Christ: John 1:14: "a consuming fire"] is a lamp [Heb: (burning) candle] unto my feet, and a light [Heb: illumination (in every sense including happiness)] unto my path [lest we stumble in the night: John 11:10].

(John 8:12) Then spake Jesus again unto them [the Pharisees], saying, I am the light [Gk: fire] ["a consuming fire"] of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light [Gk: fire] ["consuming fire"] of life. [i.e., "light" = "life"]

c. (Luke 15:12) And the younger of them said to his father, Father [a type and shadow of Father God], give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living, [He gave them the gift of His life, His fire].

d. (1 Th 5:19) Quench [Gk: extinguish: go out] not the Spirit.

e. Commentary: and the younger son went out into the world of sin, wasted his inheritance, and almost quenched the Spirit of life dwelling within him, until he "he came to himself" (Luke 15:17).

(John 9:4,5) I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light [Gk: fire] ["a consuming fire"; the life] of the world.

(Mat 5:14) Ye are the light [Gk: fire] ["consuming fire"; the life] of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

 

(John 11:11-17) These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth [Gk: to slumber; fig. to decease: be dead]; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there [for death cannot reign in the presence of "life"], to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already [day one the messenger was sent, days two and three Jesus tarried for good purpose, day four Jesus came to Bethany].

(John 11:18-27) Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off [15x1/8 = almost 2 miles]: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died [for death cannot reign in presence of "life"]. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

(John 11:28-32) And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died [for death cannot reign in presence of "life"].

(John 11:33-37) When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit ["He was deeply moved in spirit" Amplif.], and was troubled ["sighed and was disturbed" Amplif.], And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:35) Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them [in their disbelief] said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

(John 11:38-42) Jesus therefore again groaning in himself [because of all the disbelieving hearts surrounding him] cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it [in effect, physically and emotionally and spiritually, they had stoned Lazarus, i.e., surrounded him with stone: John 11:8]. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days [she objected, thereby disobeying the command of Jesus]. Jesus saith unto her [correcting her], Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they [the obedient believers] took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid [indicating their physical and emotional and spiritual release of him, i.e., they gave him his freedom – as commanded]. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by [i.e., for the people’s sake] I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

grave = Gk: a remembrance, i.e. (place of interment):--sepulchre, tomb /// memory: remembrance.

cave = Gk: (a grotto); a cavern; by impl. a hiding-place or resort:--cave, den.

stone = Gk: a stone (lit. or fig.):--(mill-, stumbling-) stone.

Commentary: the (large) stone, represents the gross hardness of unbelieving hearts, and signifies the conversion of the grave into a prison from which the unbelieving world fears that we shall escape.

 

(John 11:43,44) And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice [for all to hear], Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound [tied up, restrained] hand [his work] and foot [his walk] with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

(2 Cor 4:3,4) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them [i.e., the opposite of being cast into outer darkness].

Commentary: "bound" = This is altogether a worldly attempt to blind, imprison, and silence his work, walk, mobility (movement is life), sight, and voice. This is Satan’s counterfeit worldly version imitation of casting him "into outer darkness" Mat 8:12; 22:13; 25:30.

Commentary: "graveclothes" = These are long bands (strips) of death clothes firmly wrapped about his body to keep him an immobile fully-confined prisoner [Isa 61:1,2; Luke 4:18,19]; in a sense, a worldly futile attempt to confine his spirit within a stinking, putrefying, decomposing, rotting body which is a clear failure with born-again persons.

Amen